Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students - The National Catholic School of Social Service (NCSSS) at The Catholic University of America requests $3,250,000 to strengthen the social work workforce by expanding educational opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to serving in primary care and medically vulnerable communities. NCSSS requests consideration under Funding Priority 1 (proportion of graduates entering primary care), Funding Priority 2 (proportion of graduates working in rural, Tribal, and other medically underserved communities), and Funding Priority 3 (proportion of graduates who are underrepresented minority students). Building on the success of its 2020–2025 HRSA-funded Social Work Workforce Development Program (SWWDP), NCSSS awarded 78 scholarships to MSW students and expanded access to graduate education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through financial assistance, specialized training, interdisciplinary education, field placements, mentorship, and academic support, the program prepared graduates with the competencies needed to practice in integrated primary care and medically vulnerable communities. Despite growing demand for social workers trained in integrated behavioral health and primary care, workforce shortages and financial barriers continue to limit the availability of professionals prepared to serve medically vulnerable communities. Shortages in behavioral health providers reduce access to mental health, substance use, and integrated behavioral health services, particularly in rural, Tribal, and other medically vulnerable communities. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds often face significant barriers to completing graduate education, despite evidence that they are more likely to practice in primary care and medically vulnerable communities after graduation. The proposed Social Work Workforce Development Program (SWWDP) will address these challenges by strengthening the behavioral health workforce through support for full-time Master of Social Work (MSW) students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to serving in primary care settings and medically vulnerable communities. Through scholarship support, academic success initiatives, workforce development, and community partnerships, the program will implement the following objectives: Objective 1: Increase the enrollment and retention of full-time clinical MSW students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Objective 2: Increase the number of Social Work graduates practicing in primary care. Objective 3: Increase the number of Social Work graduates working in rural, Tribal, and other medically vulnerable communities. The proposed SWWDP will increase the number of practice-ready clinical social workers equipped to address behavioral health needs within primary care and medically vulnerable communities. Through targeted recruitment, retention, education, and workforce preparation, NCSSS will strengthen the social work workforce and expand access to integrated behavioral health services for populations experiencing persistent health challenges. This investment supports HRSA’s mission by increasing access to care, improving health outcomes, and developing a sustainable workforce prepared to meet the evolving needs of medically vulnerable communities.
